Big East Conference football individual awards

The Big East Conference gave five football awards at the conclusion of every season.

Frank Beamer of Virginia Tech, Dennis Erickson of Miami, and Brian Kelly of Cincinnati were each Coach of the Year three times.

[2][3] The first award in 1991 was a tie between Darrin Smith, a Miami linebacker, and George Rooks, a defensive lineman from Syracuse.

Pittsburgh follows with the second most awards with five, including the 2009 Co-Defensive Players of the Year, which is the only occasion where two teammates have been co-selected in the same season.

During Temple's first tenure in Big East football from 1991 to 2004, its only conference award was when Dan Klecko won Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2002.

[1] The only member that has failed to win this award is Connecticut, which did not join Big East football until 2004.

Andy Lee, a Pittsburgh punter, and Cincinnati kick returner Mardy Gilyard were the only players to receive the award more than once.

[3] During Temple's previous tenure in Big East football from 1991 to 2004, the Owls received only one conference award.

Donovan McNabb, Michael Vick, Dion Lewis, Larry Fitzgerald, and Teddy Bridgewater[3] also won Offensive Player of the Year honors, with Vick and Lewis winning both awards in the same season.

[1][7] Erickson, Brian Kelly (then of Cincinnati), and Frank Beamer of Virginia Tech each won the award three times.

Larry Coker, Rich Rodriguez, Charlie Strong,[3] and Walt Harris have each won twice.